Fresh Face Friday: Meet Amanda King, Communications Intern

Amanda King, Internal Communications Intern

By Amanda King, Red Cross Internal Communications Intern

As the new internal communications intern at the Red Cross, I’m excited to be a part of the Communications and Marketing team. During my internship, I hope to learn more about each department and help get the amazing stories about the Red Cross out there.

Learning about the Red Cross and what it offers Ohio communities has opened my eyes to the realization that the Red Cross does so much more than I ever knew. Aside from the Blood Services that everyone knows about, the Red Cross offers so much more, such as a community transportation program for seniors, a First Aid Service Team that saves lives at local events, and disaster presentations to educate children and adults.

Hailing from the small town of Coshocton, I now reside in Columbus where I attend Ohio State University as a double major in English and Psychology. After graduation this August, I hope to work in the publishing industry and move to London or New York. I enjoy kickboxing classses and find writing and reading to be the greatest joys in my life. If you ever see a random girl wandering Columbus in search of chocolate or caffeine, it’s probably me. I look forward to meeting all of the staff and volunteers and hearing their stories!

International Water Safety Day: Prepare for Summer!

By: Brittany Reasoner, Red Cross Communications Intern

International Water Safety Day is today, May 15, and the American Red Cross will participate in a congressional briefing in Washington, D.C., to bring attention to the importance of water safety.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 388,000 drowning deaths occur annually around the world, making drowning a global public health problem. In the U.S., drowning is the second leading cause of fatal unintentional injury death for children ages one to 14.

Learn-to-Swim

The American Red Cross encourages all household members to enroll in age-appropriate water orientation and Learn-to-Swim programs. To find classes for your family, contact your local aquatic facility and ask for Red Cross swimming programs. Developing skills and water safety behaviors help people be more comfortable and safe when they are in, on and around the water.

The American Red Cross offers classes in water safety education, swimming lessons, and life guarding.

For more information on where to take classes: http://www.redcross.org/oh/columbus/local-programs/aquatics

Water Safety Tips

- Make water safety a priority.

• Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
• Always swim with a buddy, and do not allow anyone to swim alone.
• Never leave young children unattended near the water.

- Prevent Unsupervised Access to the Water.

• If you own a pool or hot tub, install and use barriers.
• For above ground or inflatable pools, remove access ladders and secure the safety cover whenever the pool is not in use.

- Maintain constant supervision.

• Actively supervise children around the water – even if lifeguards are present.
• Always stay within arm’s reach of young children.

- Know what to do in an emergency.

• If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count.
• Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.

Peter Conrad: Serving Columbus for over 30 years

Peter Conrad with his daughter

By Stephanie Heckman, Red Cross Public Relations Intern

A native of Columbus, Peter Conrad has worked for the Red Cross of Central-Southeast Ohio for over 30 years or over half of his lifetime. After beginning his Red Cross career as a mobile assistant for blood services, he eventually began working for Community Transportation, his department of the past 14 years.

“I love everything I’ve done at the Red Cross,” he says. “You go home every day, feeling like you made an impact. It’s a great feeling.”

Conrad learned about job openings for the Red Cross back in 1984 through his aunt, a former Red Cross employee. He eventually left the Red Cross but did not let go of that part of his life. “I missed this place. It’s what I wanted to do,” he says.

One day, Conrad was reading the newspaper with his wife when he saw an advertisment for community transportation driver. “It was perfect. I had past driving experience with the mobile van and I knew the city very well which is a big plus when driving.”

After working as a community transportation driver for four years, Conrad was promoted to Transportation Specialist. His tasks include getting clients registered, scheduling trips, maintaining files, and sometimes driving clients when they are short-staffed. He works with the clients “one-on-one, drive with them, listen to the great, great stories they have to tell.”

“People need us,” Conrad says. “We go anywhere in Columbus. If someone’s appointment is in [the Greater Columbus area], we can go.” The Red Cross serves the Columbus cancer clinics, with clients as young as three months old. With the exception of cancer patients, other clients must be 60 or older to qualify and the majority are in their 70s and 80s.

Conrad also has volunteered at telethons to fundraise after disasters, through reperesented the Red Cross at health fairs and donating blood at the urging of his daughter. He enjoys being around the clients, working with seniors and helping others.

Conrad says that he still has to drive clients once a week to help fill shifts. “We’re in desperate need of drivers right now,” he says. “If we have more volunteers, we could do more. Nearly 99% of the client applications are accepted. Once they get signed on, they want their rides but we only have a few spots to fill.”

One of Conrad’s most memorable clients was Elizabeth Ingram, “also known as Momma Lizzie” who volunteered with the Red Cross in the 1990s. “She was helping the community, helping young girls who had a hard time. We developed a really great friendship but fell out of touch during the years. One day I got a call and it was her,” Conrad remembers. Momma Lizzie relied on the community transportation program during her last years, during which she and Peter renewed their friendship.  

Conrad says that Madeline Knill, a Community Transportation employee for the last year, “is a wonderful asset.” After working for accounting for 10 years and for CTP for nearly a year, May 3 was her last day before retirement. Conrad says that after Knill retires, she plans to volunteer with the department every Thursday because she “loves being around the clients and volunteers.”

“It takes a special person to give their time and show compassion,” he says. “All of our volunteers are special.”

If you would like to become a volunteer driver or volunteer in another department, please search for positions through our website.

Celebrate National Nurses Week with the Red Cross!

By Stephanie Heckman, Red Cross Public Relations intern

May 6 marks the beginning of National Nurses Week! All of us at the American Red Cross celebrate the dedication and contributions of our nation’s nurses. Currently, there are nearly 20,000 nurses and nursing students who support the Red Cross and serve our communities through volunteer efforts or paid positions.

Nurses first became an integral part of the Red Cross 125 years ago, in 1888 after a Yellow Fever epidemic struck the states and in 1989 when the Johnstown Floods, led by Red Cross founder and nurse, Clara Barton, became the first disaster relief effort. The Red Cross Nursing Service was created in 1909; since then, many Red Cross nurses have played important roles in the development of the profession.

Volunteer nurses are involved in disaster response teams, health fairs, military hospitals, first aid service teams and blood donation drives. They teach and help develop Red Cross essential courses including CPR, AED and First Aid, Disaster Health Services, Nurse Assistant Training, Babysitting and Family Caregiving. Many nurses also hold Red Cross management and supervisory roles including as exectives of chapters or as regional and national board members.

Volunteer and student nurses teach a public education program called Protecting Life, Promoting Health: Nurses/ Student Nurses for Blood Donations. This educational program is presented at community nonprofit organizations, high schools, student groups, workplaces and places of worship, with the goal of easing fears and misconceptions about blood donation.

The Red Cross provides nursing opportunities through the Susan Hasmiller Nursing Award. Created in 2007, it awards a yearly $5,000 grant to any Red Cross chapter that demonstrates programs that involve nurses in the local community through policy and leadership.

We also celebrate the nation’s greatest nurses through the Ann Magnussen Award, presented annually to an employed or volunteer nurse who has made an exceptional impact on the Red Cross nursing programs while also demonstrating compassion and humanitarianism.

Through the Florence Nightingale Award, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Crescent also recognizes exceptional nurses who have provided healing to the injured in war or who have contributed to public health innovation.

We encourage nursing students to consider volunteering while they are completing their education. Nursing student volunteers can take a blended course in Disaster Health and Sheltering. They can also get involved through providing immunizations, serving on the First Aid Service Team or Disaster Action Team and organizating blood drives.

To become a volunteer and gain professional experience, search for volunteer opportunities.

How to keep your animal companions safe in an emergency

By Stephanie Heckman, Red Cross Public Relations Intern

April was Pet First Aid Awareness Month but it’s never too late to prepare!

Animal companions are especially prone to injuries and sickness during the hot months of late spring and summer. The American Red Cross advises pet parents to watch out for heat stroke, a common ailment that can quickly kill humans and animals. Never leave children or pets alone in a parked car. During hot weather, the inside of a car can easily reach 120 degrees in only minutes.

The signs of heat stroke in animals include heavy panting, the inability to lie down or get up, brick-red gums or an unusually high pulse. If you suspect an animal may have heat stroke, quickly cool him or her off with cold water, such as through a hose or water bottle. Rush the pet to a veterinary office immediately, as heat stroke can lead to organ damage and death.

Other hazards include open doors and windows, which can lead to an easy escape to danger, and poisonious materials. For example, chocolate, alcohol, grapes, antifreeze, lilies and poinsettia can all be deadly to pets. Visit the ASPCA Poison Control Center to find out what substances can be dangerous to animals. If you suspect that your dog or cat has eaten a poisonous substance, call your veterinary or animal poison control hotline immediately.

Pet First Aid is an important skill for any animal caretaker to know. Pets can choke, break limbs or have seizures, just like people can. Many Red Cross chapters offer Pet First Aid courses, which you can find here or through online videos such as this one by the Louiville Chapter.  You can also purchase a cat First Aid or dog First Aid book through the Red Cross.

Keep your animals safe through basic preventive measures. Aside from ensuring that each pet has a collar with an identification tag, ask your veterinarian to microship your animal. This procedure is affordable, painless, lasts a lifetime and can save your pet from being euthanized at a shelter. In the case of your animal escaping or becoming lost in a disaster, shelters can scan the animal for an ID chip that contains your phone number. Spay and neuter your pet to prevent the urge to wander and always keep him or her in the home, on a leash or in a securly fenched yard.

When natural disasters or other catastrophies strike, many animals become lost or die, due to lack of preparation. Make future plans with friends or family, in the case of evacuation. Contact hotels and boarding facilities to find out which ones will take your animals in the event of a disaster. Always make sure that your disaster preparation kit includes a leash and harness or carrier, dry and canned food, bottled water, a bowl and can opener, medical records, essential medications and an up-to-date photo of each pet.

For more information, check out the Red Cross Pet and Disaster Safety Checklist.

Reuiniting loved ones after disasters strike

Above: volunteers Rebecca Mullins and Cindy Vanderbilt attend the patient tracking course

By Stephanie Heckman, American Red Cross Public Relations Intern

“Often times, scary events strike our lives and the lives of our families and friends. Injuries can happen and family members can be separated,” said Norm Hoffman, the Regional Response Manager for the American Red Cross of Central-Southeast Ohio. “The American Red Cross can work as an agency that assists in locating and reuniting families in these circumstances.”

Hospitals may choose to disclose health information to a private organization, such as the Red Cross, to assist in disaster relief efforts. In the event of a mass emergency, Red Cross staff and trained emergency response volunteers will conduct patient tracking. The patient tracking team will use the Safe and Well Registery to help family members and friends reuinte after disasters.

“Patient tracking is a mechanism that allows families to work through the Red Cross in locating an injured person at a local medical facility and help reunite that family,” Hoffman said. “It’s another tool in our ongoing endeavors to serve the Communities in which we live.”

After a tragedy or disaster occurs, first responders and a disaster aseessment team are dispatched. Afterward, a Family Assistance Center is setup for the Patient Tracking Team to attend to phones, fax and computers. The tracking process involves a quick, free registration process conducted online by any persons who hope to find out the status of loved ones.

“Patient tracking provides a localized way to assist in reuniting family members displaced by any type of disaster,” said Cindy King, a volunteer in Special Projects for the Central-Southeast region. “The separation may be caused by patients and family members being sent to different hospitals, which is the reason why we emphasize hospitals.”

The trained patient trackers reuinte families by determining patient location and identifying “John Doe” or “Jane Doe” through distinguishing characteristics such as tattoos, piercings or scars. Afterward, they contact registered persons who are searching for a friend or relative.

“The patient tracking system is an important complement to the national Safe and Well website because it allows the Red Cross to reunite dislocated family members through the local Red Cross chapter. We are excited at the number of volunteers and staff committing to the preparedness training needed to become patient tracker,” said Cindy Vanderbilt, Emergency Response volunteer. “We are also very fortunate to have volunteers and staff like Justin Allen and Cindy King who have developed and continue to improve the computerized patient tracking system.”

The Central-Southeast Region’s main office in Columbus held a free course in patient tracking for established volunteers on April 29. Other courses taught to volunteers include CPR, First Aid and AED, disaster basics and psychological first aid. To become a volunteer, complete an application here.

Joseph Sanchez: Why driving patients to life-saving appointments is a necessity

By Stephanie Heckman, Red Cross Public Relations Intern

In January, Joseph Sanchez became a Community Transportation intern for the American Red Cross of Central-Southeast Ohio. As a premed biology major at the Ohio State University, he seems like an unlikely candidate to do marketing and promotions for a transportation program.

“I’ve always wanted to get involved with American Cross, ever since I was little kid, born in the Phillipines. The Red Cross had strong presence on our island. Our country is prone to many disasters and gets a lot of help from international organizations,” Sanchez says. “I love what the Red Cross stands for: the humanitarian efforts, the volunteers and the helping of people in need.”

The Community Transportation Program in the Greater Columbus area began in the 1970s yet is not widely known. Paid or volunteer drivers transport the elderly or cancer patients to essential appointments. The CTP is the only Columbus transportation program that can give free rides to potentially life-saving medical appointments.

“I really love interning for the Community Transportation program but I found it frustrating that a lot of people don’t really want to volunteer. It’s such a great program and it does a lot for the elderly and people with disabilities,” he says. “I wish people would want to do it more. You get to save someone’s life driving to and from medical appointments. It’s such a necessity.”

The internship involves working with Volunteer Resources and Community Transportation to develop and plan marketing strategies in the effort of recruiting new volunters. The interns reach out to churches and community centers, make flyers, writs letters and attend Community Action Team events to find potential volunteers.

Sanchez says that he joined the CTP to become involved with humanitarian work and the community. He says that it’s a great experience because the volunteers can interact with the clients and hear their stories.

“I want to learn their side of the story, what makes them who they are,” he says. “I studied premed because I really want to help people.”

Because Sanchez formerly worked in a nursing home, he understands the importance of care for seniors. “There was this lady who lives by herself. They need assistance, they need someone to take care of them,” he says. “They really do need our help.”

Sanchez says that finding volunteers for CTP is essential right now because there are simply not enough volunteers. The goal for the program is to have 80 volunteers; unfortunately, there are only 20. With so few transportation volunteers serving the Greater Columbus area, clients may be turned away or asked to call two weeks ahead. In the past, clients only had to call two days in advance, Sanchez says.

Sanchez advises others to get involved with the CTP, as an intern or volunteer. “Even if you have just a little bit of time, instead of sitting at home and doing unproductive things, you could be helping. You could make a difference in the community and just bettering yourself,” he says. “It helps you grow as a person.”

Community Transportation volunteers only have to commit four hours a month of their time to the program. Sanchez says one of the biggest mispresentations is that volunteers have to lift wheelchairs and other heavy objects. Ramps are included in the cars and vans provided by the Red Cross.

The Red Cross will teach volunteers defensive driving, CPR, AED and First Aid. Sanchez says that he was very thankful and considers the free classes a “great service” for volunteers.

Sanchez believes that each service and program that the Red Cross offers is vital: “Without each program there are people who need the service; so if we cut out other programs, then people will not be able to receive the services they need.”

Although he is graduating this May and will soon begin work as a microbiologist in the Columbus suburb of Dublin, he plans to continue volunteering with the Red Cross. Sanchez’s future plans for volunteering with the Red Cross include becoming certified to teach First Aid and CPR, volunteering with the First Aid Services Team and doing community outreach.

“If I could do all of it, I would,” he says. “I really want to volunteer more. It makes me feel good, to make a difference in someone’s life and in the community.”